WEBVTT PLEA DEALPIN DECEMBER AND ANDREW POWELL PTOOK A PLEA DEAL TODAY. P>> IT WAS HORRIFIC, AND SOME PSAID IT'S THE WORST THEY'VE PSEEN. P>> HE RECOMMENDED FIVE YEARS IN PPRISON FOR POWELL.PIN ADDITION TO HIM PLEADING PGUILTY TO THREE COUNTS OF PCRIMINAL ABUSE.PIT KEEPS THE CHILDREN FROM PHAVING TO TESTIFY. P>> THE CHILDREN CAN HOPEFULLY PMOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES, SAVED PFROM THIS SITUATION.PI CERTAINLY THE DIDN'T WANT TO PBE THE ONE GUILTY OF PULLING PTHEM BACK IN COURT, AND PREVICTIMIZE THEM. P>> POWELL AND HIS WIFE WERE PARRESTED IN AUGUST, THE CHILDRENPWERE OFTEN LEFT IN SO OLD PDIAPERS, MALNOURISHED, AND PDEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, AND THE PHOUSE WAS INFESTED WITH BUGS, PTHE CLIENT AND KIMBERLY POWELL PWERE SEPARATED AT THE TIME.P>> I'M NOT SAYING HE WAS PINNOCENT ALL THE WAY, BUT HE PCHOSE TO ACCEPT CUL-- HE COULD HAVEPTAKEN THE KIDS OUT OF THIS PSITUATION, AND HE DID NOT. P>> KIMBERLY POWELL WAS AT THE PHEARING, AND DECLINED TO SPEAK PWITH REPORTERS.P>> I'M NOT SAYING HE KNEW OR PDIDN'T KNOW, WHAT I'M SAYING IS PTHE FACTUALS OF THE -- FACTS OF PTHE CASE WERE VERY STRONG, AND PIT WAS BEST TO RESOLVE THE PMATTER, SO HE COULD MOVE ON WITHPHIS LIFE. P>> THEY COULD HAVE FACED TEN PYEARS PER COUNT IF THEY WENT TO PTRIAL. P>> THE SAD PART IS THIS IS NOT PAN ISOLATED INCIDENT.PIT OCCURS FAR TOO FREQUENT IN PTHIS STATE, IT GETS SWEPT UNDER PTHE RUG. P>> THE CHILDREN ARE NOW IN PFOSTER CARE AND DOING MUCH PBETTER.PWLKY NEWS.